Harry Potter and his Not-So-Muggle Sister
by Mr Biagio
Summary: What happens when Harry is taken to an orphanage after his first public bout of accidental magic? Why, the Grangers come to the rescue, of course! Unknown to them is that not only are they adopting a young wizard, but their daughter also has his magical potential! Read to find out how Harry's upbringing with the Grangers will have an impact on his Hogwarts life and the prophecy!
1. Chapter 1

**Hello Guys, I would like to introduce myself really quick before you read my fanfic. I'm a guy in my early twenties currently completing my studies and working during the week. I decided to give my creative writing a chance, seeing as I love reading and I'm a HUGE fan of HP. Also, I have some pretty good ideas which I would just love to share with you guys. Anyways, I really hope you enjoy this first chapter, and please let me know if you think this is something for which I should cultivate more time. Without further ado, here we go:**

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all associated characters are the property of J.K Rowling. **

**November 1, 1981**

**Little Whinging, Surrey**

If one were to wander through Surrey on the night of November 1st, 1981, they wouldn't notice a thing out of the ordinary. The streets were particularly empty, with families taking refuge from the cold, breezy nights in the comfort of their homes. It was a peaceful evening, with the silence being interrupted by the occasional bark of a dog or the rustling of dried up leaves being carried away by the wind.

Seemingly out of the blue, a loud sound could be heard throughout the streets. If an ordinary person were to listen to that sound, they would assume that it was some sort of fire-arm being fired off. However, if the person to have heard the sound were a wizard, they would instantly recognize the sound of apparition.

It was on this fateful night that Albus Dumbledore found himself wandering the streets of Little Whinging. Reaching into the pocket of his robes, he pondered on the previous night's events. The whole of wizarding Britain was celebrating the defeat of one, if not the most, powerful dark lords to have risen to power. He himself had been relatively surprised as to the outcome of the previous night. When he got word of what had taken place at Potter Cottage, he had immediately headed to Godric's Hollow to see what had happened there himself. To say he was left speechless was an understatement.

**Flashback - October 31, 1981**

When he arrived at the Potter Cottage's location, he immediately realized that disaster had struck the Potter Family. The Fidelius that had been placed by him had been completely destroyed, as had the handsome cottage where the Potters went into hiding. Taking out his wand, he carefully treaded through the garden while studying his surroundings. If his intel had been correct, then he needn't have worried about anything, but one could never be too sure. The Dark Lord had many loyal followers, many of whom would be quite happy to instigate some form of chaos as a way of avenging their master.

Casting a Homenum Revelio and making sure that there was nobody around, he released a breath he hadn't realized he was holding, glad that there was no impending danger. Carefully opening the front door, he was dismayed as to the site which received him. Lord James Potter, one of his favorite Gryffindors and trusted friend, was laying at the foot of the steps leading up to the first floor of the house, staring into oblivion with glassy eyes. Wiping an escaped tear from his eyes, he approached the body and levitated it into the middle of the room, transfiguring one of the curtains into a red and golden blanket which he used to cover the corpse. Gathering his Gryffindor courage and steeling himself for the sight that might greet him, he headed up the stairs and into the room where he knew the young Potter heir had resided.

The first thing he noticed was the body lying still next to an empty crib. This had finally proved too much and tipped his emotions, making him release a silent sob. He wondered what had gone wrong in order for these events to take place and the life of these wonderful people to be taken. The only thing consoling him was the fact that he knew that the Potter child was safe, currently in the care of Rubeus Hagrid, one of the few people who had his complete trust.

Waving his wand in intricate and complicated patters, he tried to forge an image of the events that had transpired in that small room. He could tell that there had been no resistance from Lily, as he had spotted her wand lying on a small table next to the crib. Finally, there was a small buzzing sound which came from his wand, confirming his suspicions. While Lord Voldemort had been destroyed, along with most of the house, he had still detected large residues of dark magic. Magic so dark, he had no memory of encountering something similar. Sure, his late lover Grindelwald had been a practitioner of the dark arts, but never to this level of devotion and commitment. When he heard the news, he had assumed that this was not the end of Lord Voldemort, seeing as there was currently a prophecy in play.

Casting further diagnostical spells, he came to the conclusion that this indeed was not the end of the Dark Lord. With his suspicions confirmed, he set to levitating Lily down to the living room and placing her next to her husband, transfiguring yet another curtain to the same colors as James' and placing it over her. With one last sad look at the pair, he bid his goodbye and set out into the night, going over plans he had concocted after hearing the news relating to the Potters.

**End of Flashback -**

He finally found what he was looking for. Grabbing hold of the device which any muggle would identify as a lighter, he took a look around, making sure that there were no spectators, and clicked it three times. Instantly, all the lights in the street left their designated lamp posts and floated towards him, slowing down as they got closer. Once they reached him, he lifted the Deluminator, which attracted the trajectory of the flying orbs of light to finally consume them, placing the street into complete darkness. Satisfied with the results, he continued his stroll through the empty street until he arrived at his desired location, Number 4 Privet Drive. After casting a quick Tempus charm, he resigned himself to a few minutes of waiting, seeing as he was a bit early than the agreed time of the rendezvous.

A few minutes of waiting later, he was cast out of his thoughts by the rattling of an engine. Looking around, wondering if he had cast the muggle-repelling charm, after all, he finally identified the source of the sound. He spotted a large object in the sky heading towards him at an alarming speed. He took out his wand, ready for action, only to release a soft sigh of relief after realizing that the object was slowing down. Finally, a motorbike landed in front of him, carrying the large silhouette that could be none other than Rubeus Hagrid.

**So this is the first chapter, I really hope you enjoyed it. Please R&R, and let me know what you think so far :). I really look forward to your opinions!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys! Just a quick update with chapter two of 'Harry Potter and his Not-So-Muggle Sister". I just wanted to clear up a few things regarding the story. Just a heads up, I won't be going into too much detail for years 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6. I don't really want to drag the story on and on. Unless you guys want me to, depends on the reviews for the first dozen or so chapters. As for when I might introduce Hogwarts to the story, I was thinking after the first 10 chapters. I want to give Harry and Hermione a bit of background. Anyways, don't want to bore you with my plans for this story, here is chapter two:**

_**Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all associated characters are the property of J.K. Rowling. I make no claim of ownership to the wonderful universe that is Harry Potter.**_

_A few minutes of waiting later, he was cast out of his thoughts by the rattling of an engine. Looking around, wondering if he had cast the muggle-repelling charm, after all, he finally identified the source of the sound. He spotted a large object in the sky heading towards him at an alarming speed. He took out his wand, ready for action, only to release a soft sigh of relief after realizing that the object was slowing down. Finally, a motorbike landed in front of him, carrying the large silhouette that could be none other than Rubeus Hagrid._

He slowly approached the half-giant, aware of the bundle of blankets on the side cart of the motorbike containing young Harry Potter. He spoke in a soft tone, so as not to wake the sleeping savior of the wizarding world. "Good evening Hagrid. Impeccable timing, if I may say so myself. It's a shame that we have to meet under such grave circumstances on such a lovely autumn night, don't you say? Tell me, how was your trip to Surrey? Did you encounter any difficulties?"

The half-giant bent down to the side cart, and gently (as gently as it would be possible for a person of his size) scooped up the sleeping baby. He turned to Dumbledore with tear-stricken eyes and mumbled some incoherent words. Dumbledore gave him an understanding smile and spoke again. "I'm afraid I did not catch that, Hagrid".

"Still can't believe wha' happened ter the Potters Profess'r, thats all. Good people they were, the Potters" he said while taking out a huge handkerchief that could substitute as a table cloth and blowing his nose with a thunderous trumpet-like sound. Dumbledore grimaced, expecting for the child to wake up, only for him to stir a little in his sleep and continue his deep slumber.

"It has affected many of us deeply, my old friend. Alas, speaking from experience, it does no good to dwell on the past. This child has been touched by fate, thus sealing his destiny and that of the people close to him. We can only wait and see what the future brings for young Harry. Speaking of which, it's about time we deliver him to his family, don't you think?" he said while heading in the direction of the non-descript house labeled number 4. Hagrid nodded and followed Dumbledore, seeing as he was incapable of speech at the moment due to his uncontrolled sobs.

Once they reached the doorway, Dumbledore carefully scooped up Harry from Hagrid's arms and fondly stared at the miniature James Potter, silently making a vow to do everything within his power to facilitate the upbringing of this magical child. Gently putting him down on the front steps, he took out a letter addressed to the Dursleys, explaining what the young hero had gone through and how the blood wards would work around the house so long as Harry could call that place home.

After a quick glance around, he cast a muggle repelling charm and some warming charms on the blankets so the child would sleep undisturbed. Satisfied with his work, he turned to Hagrid who had been quietly sobbing in the background and gave him a reassuring smile. "Everything will be okay now, Hagrid," he said, not fully convinced himself. He had always had doubts regarding the Dursleys, even more so when Petunia selfishly cut off ties with her sister after marrying that obese muggle of a man. It had completely broken Lily to lose the last of her family, something that she had always unjustly blamed upon herself. Hoping beyond hope that the Dursleys had enough humanity and sensitivity within them to not turn their backs on an orphaned child, especially one so closely related to them, he reluctantly stepped away from the front door.

"I think it's about time we get going. We wouldn't want to draw unwanted attention." He said while giving the house one last skeptical look. He watched Hagrid mount that enormous bike of his (he could have sworn it was familiar, but couldn't recall from where) and with a mighty roar from the engine set off into the night. Giving one last glance towards the sleeping child, he murmured a quick 'good luck, Harry' before stepping out of the blood wards and apparating away.

* * *

**5 Years Later**

He'd done it. He'd finally taken a step too far. He knew this would prove too much for his Aunt and Uncle, but he couldn't explain what he had done, or how he had done it. He had always thought that he was different, but could never be truly sure. All he wanted was to be a normal person, just like his relatives and all the kids at school. Anytime something peculiar happened, he would always blame his poor vision, or his mind playing tricks on him with hallucinations due to being practically starved back at home. The fact that the glasses he currently had had not been made specifically for him helped convince him of his innocence whenever something 'freakish', as his Aunt and Uncle had taken to calling these weird events, happened.

Harry Potter was currently waiting outside of the Principal's office at his school, waiting for his Aunt and Uncle to come out and take him home where he would most probably be severely punished. As if they could do anything new to him. He was constantly abused and forced to do manual labor, something that he slowly grew accustomed to. Not like he had any other choice, complaining never got him anywhere, except maybe get locked in his cupboard without meals.

Looking up, he stared at his cousin Dudley, who was currently banging on the glass of a vending machine, hoping that some snacks would fall out of their place. Unlike Harry, who was short and skinny, his cousin was particularly tall and bigger than the other kids. The perfect attributes for a school bully. For as long as he could remember, Dudley had always made Harry's life even more miserable than it already was. He would deliberately try to get him into trouble, never giving a second thought as to the consequences that Harry would have to face. Because of him, almost all the kids at his school avoided him, hoping that they won't attract Dudley's attention. He never understood what he had done to earn his family's ire, and if he could, he would prove to them that he was a normal person like them as well. But deep down, he knew he wasn't. And he knew he couldn't.

Soon, more than an hour had elapsed since his guardians had stepped into the Principal's office. They were currently in there discussing the events that had transpired earlier that day.

Suddenly, the door burst open and his uncle stepped out. Vernon Dursley looked around and not even batted an eye at his son's antics, but the moment he met Harry's eyes, his face developed a murderous look. After staring at his nephew for what seemed an eternity, but was actually no more than 5 seconds, he turned and walked down the hallway. His wife gave him his back a strange look as if she had been expecting him to berate the boy for what he had done, but otherwise said nothing and followed soon after. Dudley had finally stopped banging on the vending machine and turned to look at Harry with a mischievous smile.

"You've finally done it, haven't you? Can't wait to see what punishment they come up with for you, freak!" he said, before turning and following after his parents, whistling a happy tune. Harry sighed and walked towards the exit, trying to steel himself for what might come.

**-Back in the Principal's office-**

"Do you mean to say, that the seven-year-old boy waiting outside that door, disappeared into thin air while running from a small band of kids, only to re-appear at the top of this school's roof? Let me ask you something Principal Sinclair, do you think I'm mental? Please explain to me how the bloody hell I'm supposed to believe that!" Exclaimed Vernon, completely aware that the aforementioned boy was certainly capable of doing what the principal had just described.

The Principle released a sigh and tried to reign in his temper. Honestly, some parents really needed to learn manners and keep their anger in check. He looked Vernon in the eye and tried to further explain the situation.

"Sir, we have multiple eyewitnesses confirming the events. Some of them even teachers for crying out loud! Let me assure you, there is absolutely no way that a seven-year-old boy could have gotten to the rooftop of this school otherwise! We had to call the fire department in order to get him down from there!" The Principle took a deep breath and massaged his temples, gathering himself.

"Now, I suspect that you know what is actually taking place, so let me give you some friendly advice, sir. This is not the first time that something weird has happened in this school with Harry stuck in the middle of it. Personally, I'm quite fond of the boy. He's a smart young pupil with a bright future ahead of him. But can you honestly tell me that he has nothing to do with these past events? All of these weird occurrences started happening right after your son began attending this institution. I want you to not only assure me that none of these things will happen again but also, I want you to guarantee that this child of yours will be of no danger to the other children in this school. Can you do that for me, Mr. Dursley?" He asked without taking his eyes of Vernon.

"How dare you assume that that abomination is our son, why if I had my way-" The principal cut Vernon off before he could even get started.

"You're completely missing the point, Mr. Dursley! I'm afraid I have no other choice in the matter but to indefinitely suspend your children!" Seeing Mr. Dursley's look of disgust and surprise, he quickly corrected himself. "Excuse me, your son and your _nephew. _Until you can assure me that he is of no danger to the other people attending this institution, don't even think of coming back. I'm sorry it has to be this way, but I have to prioritize the safety of not only the children and staff but that of Harry as well. Now, please be so kind as to leave my office, I have enough things on my agenda as it is." With that, the principal shuffled a few folders and started looking through them, completely ignoring the two parents sitting in front of him with astonished expressions.

**-End of Flashback-**

Out in the parking lot, he finally made up his mind. He would explain to his Uncle that he was not to blame, hopefully lessening his punishment somewhat. It wouldn't hurt to give it a try, things couldn't possibly get worse. Once he reached the car in which his family was waiting for him, he climbed in and took a deep breath, getting ready to explain the situation as best as he could.

Before he could say anything though, his Uncle turned around to face him. Harry was completely flabbergasted, as he had never seen his uncle this mad before. His face was a deep purple, with a little vein on his temple throbbing so hard, Harry thought it might burst. He decided at that moment that there was nothing he could say or do that would change his uncle's opinion of him, one that had finally deteriorated to the point where it was safe to say that it could not worsen.

Finally, Vernon spoke in a low, quiet voice which made Harry's back chill. "I want you to listen to me closely boy," his uncle said in a venomous tone.

"I do not care for any petty excuses you might come up with. We took you in when you were a baby out of the kindness of our hearts, put a roof over your head and fed you. You would think that would be something for which one would be grateful, but it seems I have been mistaken. I now realize what a mistake it was for us to take you in on that November night. It seems that I was right when I told Petunia that you were going to be no better than the pathetic excuse for what passed as your parents. I do not want another word from you for the rest of the trip home, am I understood? Nod yes or no boy!" exclaimed Vernon, still with a somewhat venomous tone.

Harry gulped and nodded yes, fighting hard to keep back the tears. His uncle stared at him for a couple of seconds more before turning back to the steering wheel and starting the engine. Harry could hear his cousin snickering beside him but he paid him no mind. He knew that whatever the Dursleys would come up with was way worse than the taunting of his older cousin. Resigning himself to what would surely be hell at home, he stared out of the window, trying to think of anything other than what awaited him once they arrived.

About half an hour had passed, and Harry was starting to get worried. Not only did he not recognize the neighborhood they were currently driving through, but he knew they should have arrived home by now. Thinking about asking his Uncle where they were headed, he quickly decided against it. It wouldn't do good to further enrage his guardian and earn an even harsher punishment. Looking back, Harry would never have guessed that his punishment might actually be one of the best things to happen to him. After a grueling hour of waiting, the car had finally stopped. Harry looked up and couldn't help but release a startled yelp, for standing in front of him was an old, creepy building several stories high. And next to the entrance to this building was a sign that read the following: Kingsley Orphanage, London.

_**So, there it is guys. Looks like Vernon has finally had it with Harry. Hope you've enjoyed this chapter, I'm planning on introducing Hermione by chapter 4 at the latest. Please make sure to let me know what you think of the story, I've really enjoyed writing it so far! Can't wait to further progress into the story. Have a nice day!**_


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys! So, based on the few comments that I've received so far, it was made pretty clear to me that almost all the readers that found their way to my story are big fans of Harmony. Now, while I don't actually plan on pairing them for a while, rest assured that their relationship will eventually blossom into something more. Maybe. Guess you'll have to keep on reading to find out, haha. Not gonna worry about that until maybe fourth year at the earliest. **

**As a side note, please excuse any grammatical mistakes you might spot. I've tried proof-reading my stories several times in order to spot these mistakes, but some of them just slip past me. If you spot something glaringly obvious, please PM me and ill try to take care of it. Anyways, here is chapter three:**

_**Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all associated characters are the property of J.K. Rowling.**_

_About half an hour had passed, and Harry was starting to get worried. Not only did he not recognize the neighborhood they were currently driving through, but he knew they should have arrived home by now. Thinking about asking his Uncle where they were headed, he quickly decided against it. It wouldn't do good to further enrage his guardian. Finally, after a grueling hour of waiting, the car stopped. Harry looked up and couldn't help but release a startled yelp, for standing in front of him was a huge building several stories high. And next to the entrance to this building was a sign that read the following: Kingsley Orphanage, London._

Harry stared at the sign, bewildered as to the way that things had escalated so quickly in the course of one day. Never did he think the Dursley's would go so far as to deliver him to an orphanage. Then again, they had never held back when figuring out ways to make his life miserable. The problem was, he didn't think they were bluffing. His Uncle seemed pretty determined to get rid of him, and sadly, there was not much he could do against it.

Telling Petunia and Dudley to stay in the car, his uncle got out and headed towards the entrance, not even looking back. Watching him walk through the small path that lead to the main building, he was unsure as to what he should do.

He looked at his aunt and realized that even she hadn't expected her husband to go this far.

After waiting around for a few minutes, Dudley started to fidget, which was always a sign that he was beginning to get impatient. Finally, he couldn't take it anymore.

"Mooom, can't we just leave the freak and head home already?" he whined.

Petunia just sat there motionless, staring at the car's dashboard without saying a word. Finally, she seemed to make her mind up about something and spoke in a quiet voice.

"Diddykins, I need you to get out of the car right this instance sweetie." She said in a voice void of emotion. Dudley just sat there, completely caught off guard at his mother's tone while Harry was beginning to feel uncomfortable.

"Mom, is there something wrong? Please let's just leave the freak an—"

"Dudley, if you don't leave the car this instant, you will be grounded for the rest of the school year! Now get out!"

Harry was completely gobsmacked. He had yet to hear his Aunt talk to her son like that, never mind threaten him with any sort of punishment. Now he definitely could not understand what was going on. Feeling betrayed, Dudley's eyes swelled up with unshed tears. Finally, he looked at Harry for several seconds before whispering something only loud enough for him to hear.

"I hate you".

Harry had never heard so much spite coming from his cousin. He didn't even have time to make a witty remark before Dudley unbuckled his seatbelt and left the vehicle, heading towards a small playground on the front lawn of the orphanage.

Petunia turned around and studied her young charge. She looked at him with a sad, reminiscing expression, focusing on the features that reminded her most of her sister. When she finally spoke to him, Harry didn't think his day could get any weirder.

"You have your mother's eyes, have I ever told you?" she said with unusual kindness. "Listen, Harry, we don't have much time, so I'm going to need you to pay close attention to me".

Getting over his initial shock at his Aunt mentioning her sister, nevermind using his real name, he murmured a quick 'okay' before Petunia reached behind her neck and undid the necklace that had always been there for as long as he could remember. It was a simple golden chain, with a small pendant containing a beautiful emerald in it. She gently took hold of her nephew's hands and placed the necklace in his palm, closing her hands around his.

Harry gasped as the necklace started emanating a soft, warm glow. When it died out, he opened his hand to find that the pendant had been replaced with a small, delicately crafted key. Its emerald was now shimmering with an ethereal beauty, captivating his gaze for several moments.

He was cast out of his thoughts when Petunia continued speaking.

"I'm sorry I can't explain everything, but you must trust me when I say that someday, everything will make sense. When the time comes, you'll figure out what that key is for, something that I have failed at doing. Please, don't lose it. Your mother gave it to me before..." She released a small sob, taking out a tissue from her purse to blow her nose in.

"It doesn't matter. Please, just take care of yourself, Harry."

As if on cue, the front doors of the orphanage opened to release Mr. Dursley from within. He reached into his mouth with his index finger and thumb, taking in a large breath in the process to give out a single, mighty whistle.

Harry looked around for the source of the noise and found his Uncle frantically waving for him to come out of the car. Turning to look back at his Aunt, he decided to ask one last question.

"Why?"

It was a three-letter word that while so simple in text, conveyed many different emotions that haunted Petunia from that day on. Betrayal, contempt, and sadness would forever plague her dreams, making her feel like she had committed the most awful of crimes. So thoroughly involved in the abusive upbringing of her nephew, she now felt the weight of all the choices she had made since taking him in. She knew that she was past the point of redemption, but hoped that this last act of kindness would somewhat lessen her guilt and clear her conscience.

She answered by shaking her head, unable to put any excuse into words.

"Good-bye aunt Petunia".

And with that, Harry reached for the door, only to stop when his Aunt grabbed hold of his arm.

"For what it's worth, Harry, I always tried my best to lessen any punishment Vernon wanted to force upon you. I tried, I really did, but I know it was never enough. I realize it's not much, but it was the best I could do."

Before he could respond, they were interrupted by the sound of Dudley loudly knocking on the car's window.

"Hurry up, freak! Dad says to get over there right now before he comes here and has to physically remove you from the car!".

As Dudley finished talking, something stirred deep within Harry. All the memories of his cousin bullying him into submission and calling him a freak resurfaced. His cold, hidden hatred for the unfair treatment bubbled away angrily in want of retribution for all his past years of suffering.

With that last thought, Dudley was knocked away from the door of the car, flying almost fifteen feet before finally landing on his back. Petunia instantly got out, calling for the child that meant more than everything to her. Harry quickly put on the necklace and stuffed it under his shirt before opening the door and hurrying over to his uncle. He gave a sigh of relief when he noticed that his uncle was currently on the phone and had missed the little spectacle that just happened.

Realizing that he had company, Vernon quickly uttered a quick "I'm gonna have to call you back" before hanging up the phone and turning towards the boy. At first, he didn't say anything, he just stared at him with mixed emotion. He opened his mouth to talk, only to change his mind. Instead, he pulled out his wallet and procured a 100-dollar bill from it, signaling for Harry to take it from him.

"This is the last time you will ever see us, boy. Consider that money a farewell gift. If I were you, I would spend it wisely." And with that, his Uncle turned his back on him, and they parted ways, never to meet again.

Harry quickly took off his shoe and put the money into it, deciding to spare one last glance back at their direction. He was expecting to get a little emotional over losing what little family he had. Instead, what he saw almost made him burst out laughing. Petunia was currently bent down, trying to dust off her annoyed son who had been knocked into what appeared to be a numerous amount of almost full rubbish bins. But that wasn't the funny part. As they made their way back to the car, Harry suppressed a smile when he realized that they were oblivious as to what had really happened.

When they notice the brand-new pig's tail that his cousin was now sporting, they would be absolutely furious.

Not wishing to tempt his good-luck, he walked inside the building. It looked like his current predicament was not as bad as he had imagined. After all, he had just gotten a considerable amount of spending cash from his uncle, something he never thought would happen in a thousand years. He had delivered some justice upon his cousin for all the past years of taunting and resentment, even if it hadn't been done deliberately. Not only that, but he was finally rid of the Dursleys for the foreseeable future, something which he hoped would be permanent. Oh, and apparently, there was this HUGE secret about his past that he needed to figure out.

* * *

December 25, 1986

Harry was jerked awake to a familiar high-pitched voice calling his name. Sitting up on his bed, he wondered why he was being bothered at all. Christmas eve was last night, but he had never been particularly enthusiastic about the holiday, seeing as the Dursleys never bothered to gift him anything at all. Sure, he had gotten the odd gift here and there, but they mostly consisted of house-hold items. These so-called gifts were usually something which the Dursleys specifically chose in order to taunt and show him that he was not welcome into their house-hold, such as a coat-hanger, passed down clothes from his cousin and cleaning supplies.

Putting on his glasses, everything came into focus and he recognized his fellow orphan standing beside his bed, a kid who went by the nickname Ollie.

Ollie, who's original name was Oliver Debroux, was a short, skinny kid around 7 years old, much like Harry himself. He had striking light blue eyes and short blonde hair. Ollie had been there since he was four and was the first and only kid who had tried to befriend him. Unlike the other kids, Ollie was a quiet, smart child with a gentle soul. He was constantly picked on by the other children, mainly because of his fascination with plants and his kindness, something which made him an easy target. Harry had instantly taken a liking to this young child, almost to the point of over-protectiveness.

"What's wrong, does the Mistress wish to speak to me?" asked Harry with a suppressed yawn. Ollie looked at him like he was mad.

"What? No! Come on Harry, its time to open our presents!" exclaimed Ollie.

Groggily getting out of bed, he put on his slippers and walked towards his friend who was already standing by the entrance to their sleeping quarters. He cast a quick glance at the clock on the wall and saw that it was half-past five, annoyed that he had been woken at such an early hour.

"I don't see what the big fuss is about, I never get any presents..." he said with barely concealed bitterness. After all, it's not like it was Ollie's fault

"Well, looks like there's a first time for everything, I saw at least two of 'em with your name on them!" With that, Harry finally found enough motive to follow his only friend through the empty halls of the orphanage.

They reached the end of the corridor which lead from their rooms and entered a warm, inviting room, crowded with furniture and festive decorations. Everything seemed to be in its place like it had yesterday, except for the considerable number of gifts under the tree.

The Christmas tree was stationed a few feet from the fireplace, shining with a barely perceptible light and few hanging ornaments. There was a couch placed next to the tree, already occupied by two kids eagerly playing with their newly opened toys. Harry took a seat next to his friend, who was already in the process of opening his first gift and searched for the mentioned presents which supposedly bore his name. To his surprise, he found a total of three presents, one of which drew his attention more than the others.

Taking the present with the familiar handwriting on it, he contemplated on what it could possibly contain. Expecting it to be some sort of item from the Dursleys, meant to mock his current situation, he resigned himself to opening it first just to get it out of the way.

Harry tore at the wrapping, not really sure of what to expect. With the opened gift in his hands, he was hesitant when considering how to proceed. It was a battered old photo album, with a letter taped to the cover. He had instantly recognized the hand-writing of his aunt, something which certainly surprised him. He opened the envelope to find a small text written on it.

"Found this a couple of weeks back when cleaning the attic, thought you would value it more than I ever would. Merry Christmas."

He put the letter aside, curious as to what the contents of the album might be. Flipping the cover, his heart almost skipped a beat when he saw the picture on the first page. A young couple was currently waving at the camera on what seemed to be an altar. On the left stood a handsome man in what seemed to be his early twenties, with messy hair and similar features to his own. On the left stood a beautiful young woman, with fiery red hair and the most intense, green eyes.

Harry finally understood what his aunt had been referring to when she said he had his mother's eyes. He was so absorbed in the picture that he almost didn't notice Ollie talking to him.

"What's wrong Harry? Why are you crying?" asked Oliver with obvious concern.

With a sniff of his nose, he dried up his eyes with the sleeve of his pajamas and quickly reassured his friend. "Nothing, I just think that this might be the best Christmas I've ever had".

Oliver perked up to that and looked over Harry's shoulder at the picture.

"Who are they?" he asked, pointing at the young pair.

"Nobody, not important," said Harry while closing the album. Oliver shrugged and continue opening his presents. He would finish looking at it later in private, choosing to open his other presents instead. He looked towards the next gift, a small, carefully wrapped rectangular box. Wondering who it was from, he took a look at the small, labeled tag attached to it.

_To: Harry_

_To keep you warm on the coldest of days, know that will never be truly alone._

_-A.W.P.B.D._

He reached into the box to find… a pair of knitted woolen socks? He had no idea who it had been from, not being able to recall seeing the initials anywhere in the past- He had to admit though, the socks were very beautiful indeed, as far as socks went. They were a golden color, with a red band that went around by the mouth. What really caught Harry's attention though, was the pattern. It looked like some golden golf ball with wings had been sewn into it. While the design was indeed peculiar, it didn't really matter to him. Someone had actually taken the time to make him a present, which might not be that big of a deal, but to him, it actually meant the world. He promised that one day, he would find out who this person was and profoundly thank them for making his Christmas that little less dull.

So far, this was mounting to be one of the most memorable Christmas that he ever had, which was actually saying something. Christmas with the Dursley was always memorable, but never from a good point of view.

In the past, he was forced to help with the cooking, never being able to actually partake in the evening meal like he was part of the family. Instead, he was given a small plate with servings from whichever dish he helped cook and then locked into his cupboard. All he remembered from Christmas eve was hearing his relatives laugh with joy in the living room, listening to Christmas music, drinking eggnog and telling tales. It was no wonder that this year would top off the previous ones.

He put on the socks, immediately noticing that they gave off a small amount of warmth, something which by now didn't really surprise him so much as pique his curiosity.

Excitement bubbling through him, hardly waiting to see what else he got, he took the other gift into his hands. This one was a fairly simple one wrapped in green. He could tell from the tag that it was from the orphanage since there were several similar packages placed around the tree. Carefully opening, he found a small notebook with the word 'JOURNAL' written across it and a line under it where his name would go. While it might not be as significant as the other presents, Harry was nevertheless grateful for the thought behind it. Of one thing he was sure, he would definitely record his best Christmas to date as soon as possible.

* * *

February 21, 1987

Harry was currently on his bed, writing in his journal and listening to the other kids talking amiably between each other. According to the mistress, there were going to be a few visiting couples looking to adopt. While he was always hopeful of being the next lucky kid who got to go home with some loving parents, he wasn't naïve enough to fool himself. Not only were the chances of that happening slim, seeing as there were many younger children than him, but he never thought anyone would want to adopt a freak like him.

There had been a few weird incidents in the orphanage since his arrival, but never had they reached the point of where the adults in charge would have to intervene in the children's affairs. The other kids had started to completely ignore Harry, scared of the inexplicable things that seemed to happen whenever he got upset. But this was not necessarily a bad thing. For the most part, everything seemed to settle down, even to the point where Ollie was no longer being taunted for fear of any repercussions from Harry's part.

Even though he could not necessarily control these incidents, he took silent pleasure in being feared. Sure, this was unethical, but it didn't really bother his conscience, seeing as he wasn't actively trying to cause harm or misfortune to others. Being in a position of power enthralled him, pushing him to the point where he would try to manipulate these weird occurrences that always seemed to happen to him.

There was one thing in particular that he noticed, something that connected all of the events in some way or another. Whenever something unexplainable happened, he had been in a condition of strong emotional turmoil. Whether the driving emotions were anger, happiness or sadness, it wouldn't really matter. His intent would manifest into the physical world, trying to satisfy his desire and will things to be the way he wanted them to be. Something which he still planned on experimenting with.

Harry was brought out of his musings to the orphanage's mistress walking silently into their quarters.

"The first family this month has arrived, I want everyone to be on their best behavior, is that clear?" She asked of the children, giving Harry a quick glance. It was clear to him that she was suspicious of him for all the weird things that had happened so far, but due to the fact that she had no tangible proof, couldn't openly accuse him. All the kids muttered a quick 'Yes, ma'am' before returning to their previously interrupted activities. With that out of the way, the mistress quickly headed back to the reception area to introduce herself to the adopting parents.

Deciding that he didn't want to be in the middle of this meet-and-greet, he headed out to the gardens for some alone time. On his way out of the building, he caught sight of a family of three being escorted by the mistress to the front door, with two couples in their late twenties and a little girl with bushy hair. Not paying them any mind, he continued his way to his favorite spot, a swing set in the far corner of the orphanage's grounds.

The reason for this being his favorite spot was because it was exceptionally secluded, considering the fact that the grounds were fairly empty. And to be honest, no one really cared for the old, rusty swing set. Ever since Ollie had been adopted a couple of weeks back, Harry had grown more and more fond of this place, seeing it as the only way to get away from the harsh reality that was his life.

He was left alone for the most part whenever he spent time there, occasionally being called in for meals and special occasions. It was for that same reason that he was startled when a soft, almost melodic voice spoke to him in the sweetest tone.

"Hey, do you mind if I join you? It was getting a bit crowded in there."

Already frustrated that he had to put up with visiting parents, Harry turned towards the stranger, an objection already on the tip of his tongue. He was taken aback when he stared into those intense, chocolate brown eyes. They were calculating and shone with intelligence bellying the age of the little girl sitting next to him.

"Oh, excuse me, where are my manners. My name is Hermione, what's your name?"

**So, there you go guys. Sorry it took more time to get this chapter done, I've been a bit busy these last couple of days, having little time to focus on the story. Either way, Hermione has finally been introduced into the story. I'm really excited to work with a new character, especially one that will have significant influence over the story's outcome. Hope you enjoyed the chapter, I'm planning on posting the next one sometime between this Saturday and Sunday. Hope you have a good rest of the week!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys! So, it's been a while… Almost two months to be exact. To be honest, I had forgotten about the story and at the end given up on it, not having the time for writing. It's actually thanks to one of you that I was motivated enough to continue it. So, I was checking my email the other day and noticed a notification from FanFiction. Shout out to Darksoulblaze1090 for taking the time to write a review asking for an update. I'm glad that you enjoy my story, so I'll definitely try to continue it. Now, while I don't know how often I will be able to update, I'm hoping to be releasing around 2-5 chapters every month. Some will be longer than others, so please bear with me. I know it might not be much, but I really do have a limited amount of time for this. Anyways, I think you've waited enough for the next chapter, so here you go, guys:**

**Darksoulblaze1090, this one is dedicated to you mate. That review might not seem much to you, but it sure does to me! Thanks again!**

_"Hey, do you mind if I join you? It was getting a bit crowded in there."_

_Already frustrated that he had to put up with visiting parents, Harry turned towards the stranger, an objection already on the tip of his tongue. He was taken aback when he stared into those intense, chocolate brown eyes. They were calculating and shone with intelligence bellying the age of the little girl sitting next to him._

_"Oh, excuse me, where are my manners. My name is Hermione, what's your name?"_

_February 20, 1987_

Daniel Granger could not believe the day he had today. The most peculiar chain of events had happened, events that led him to this current conversation with his wife.

**\- Flashback -**

His day had started like any other day. He woke up and got ready for work, taking a quick shower and then eating the small breakfast that his wife had prepared for him. He put on his suit, then headed towards the front door, kissing his wife and daughter good-bye before heading for work. He took the usual morning commute to his workplace. He wished a good morning to Isabelle, the receptionist, as he entered the building, hanging his blazer on the coat rack. Just the usual everyday routine, but everything started spiraling when he headed for the small kitchen to make himself a coffee. Honestly, who knew that getting a cup of coffee could change one's life?

While sipping on the hot beverage and reading the morning paper, which was always laid down on the counter (courtesy of Isabelle), his boss Ryan came in and said that there were some errands that he needed to take care of for the day, so he would need to take over his afternoon shift. He wasn't particularly enthusiastic about this, as it was a Friday and he had planned on going home early and spending time with his family, but there really wasn't much he could do about it. Work was work.

Oh, if only he and his wife could get that loan from the bank to open their own dentistry.

He couldn't necessarily complain about his lifestyle since he had a stable income while his wife stayed at home and took care of their daughter. He was so glad that his wife was as understanding as she was. She never complained, and always cleaned and cooked for them, while tutoring and watching over their daughter during the weekdays. Out of the two of them, he knew that she was the one with the real burden.

Having their own dentistry would make things ever so simple, what with his unpredictable schedule they were never able to comfortably make plans to spend time together. They had planned on raising another child, but after years of trying without results, they had simply let the matter be and gave up on the idea. And that was without taking into account what was happening around Hermione. Ever since the weird occurrences had begun to take place around her, he and his wife had decided to home-school her. And so, his wife had turned in her resignation and became a stay-at-home mom.

Releasing a small sigh, Daniel got up from his chair, folded up the paper and put it back on the counter, heading for his office to deal with his first appointment. Work was especially boring today. He had removed two crowns from one of his patients, and then removed the braces from another, just the usual.

At around noon, he left for his lunch break, thinking about taking a small walk around the area. He decided to have a quick bite at a nearby Subway, so he headed inside and ordered a Teriyaki chicken sandwich. Once he received his order, Daniel changed his mind about eating there. He didn't know why, but he had a sudden urge to take a walk. He got his lunch and headed outside, walking towards a nearby park where he could peacefully eat without the city's background noises bothering him.

He took a seat on a bench facing a small artificial lake, positioned under a considerably large willow tree. He decided that this was as good a place as any and unwrapped the sandwich. After around 15 minutes of eating in deep thought, his attention was grabbed by an approaching figure. It was that of an old man, with a long, white beard and the weirdest set of purple robes he had ever seen. He kind of looked like Gandalf now that he thought about it. Give him a hat and a staff and he would be all set.

Gandalf (he had decided to call him that within the confines of his mind) sat down next to him and took a loaf of bread from the sleeve of his robe (Honestly, who does that?!). He proceeded to throw it into the empty lake.

Daniel thought that was pretty strange, seeing as there were no ducks or fish there. Suddenly, a small family of ducks approached the old man and began to eat the bread. Daniel could have sworn that there hadn't been ducks before he got there, but maybe they had just been hiding somewhere. Either way, he just watched as they ate the bread with visible gusto, which was pretty fascinating considering ducks should not be capable of showing such emotion.

He was brought out of his musings when 'Gandalf' began speaking.

"Such a wonderful day we are having, wouldn't you agree?" he said without turning to Daniel, proceeding on feeding the ducks.

"Ehm, yeah, I guess so." To be honest, it wasn't a particularly beautiful day. The sky was scattered with grey clouds promising rainfall, and there was the occasional gust of wind which made you wish you had brought a jacket.

For a couple of moments, they just sat there in silence, watching the ducks swim around. Daniel was deliberating on whether he should say something or get going when Gandalf turned to him and spoke yet again.

"You know, people never think about it, but it is these small moments that should be cherished above all else. One would never think about it, since we are always preoccupied with one thing or another. People are always concerned with what their future holds, always trying their best to prepare for it and in the process forget to live in the moment. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but it is because of this that they never seem to grasp that they are getting further away from humanity's main aspiration. Happiness."

Dan was starting to get creeped out by the old man.

Sure, there was wisdom to his words, and he had no doubt that 'Gandalf' had a handful of years' worth of experience when dealing with life, but he just couldn't fathom why a complete stranger would approach someone random and start lecturing them about life.

"I guess I can agree with your statement, but how can one enjoy the present when the future holds the scary and unknown?" he asked of the old man, continuing the strange conversation

"You know, there is a saying that I heard in my youth many years ago" Gandalf said with a reminiscing look, staring into the distance.

"I, like many others before me, had great aspirations. I was an ambitious young man with great potential. I had a vision, something that could have changed the world for the better, but in my haste, I forgot about the things that mattered to me the most."

Gandalf got up and threw the last of the bread into the pond, staring at the ducks with a sad expression.

He turned to Daniel and shared the piece of wisdom that he had heard in his youth.

"Whenever you feel that you're a bit preoccupied with the future, just remember this fun little saying: Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery and today is a gift. That is why it is called the present" he said with a small smile and a twinkle in his eyes.

Daniel could have sworn that he had heard that somewhere, but he was unsure as to where it was, or even when it had happened.

"Never forget to enjoy the present, because I can guarantee you that the future holds many surprises" he said with another twinkle in his eyes.

Daniel was seriously beginning to get creeped out. No one should have that unnatural gleam in their eyes, no matter how old. Suddenly, his alarm started ringing, signaling the end of his lunch break. With a sigh, he took his phone out of his pocket and turned off the alarm, quickly reading the small message from his wife asking if he wanted anything particular for dinner. After a quick response, he looked up to thank Gandalf for the friendly advice only to realize that he was gone. How was that even possible?! He was literally standing 3 feet from him, surely, he couldn't have gone away without making a sound? He decided to ignore the weird occurrence and headed back towards the dentistry.

When he arrived at the office, he instantly knew that something was wrong. The first sign of this was the police cars parked outside with their sirens on. He also noticed that they were currently leading his boss in handcuffs towards the back of one of the cars. He ran up to the scene and asked Isabelle what happened.

"You'll never believe this! Ryan basically ran into the office and told me that he was never there, locking himself in his office. Next thing I know, a bunch of cops show up looking for him! I didn't know what to do, so I just told them that he was busy and to look for him some other time. They then threatened me with arrest for helping to hide a convict, so I had no other choice but to let them know where he was. He was just arrested for drug trafficking, money laundering, and possession of illegal firearms! Can you believe it? To think we worked with him for 3 years!" she said, completely shook.

Daniel was speechless. Drug trafficking? Money laundering? Possession of firearms? To think that he shared an office with the guy and had absolutely no clue! What was he going to do? Surely, they wouldn't shut down the office? He and Isabelle would be out of a job!

"What's going to happen to the dentistry? Do we have to look for another job? I don't think that I can afford to lose this job." he asked, bearing himself for the worst.

"Oh, you won't believe me if I told you, here comes the real shocker. You know how he went out today to "take care of a few errands"? Turns out he bribed a bunch of officials to help him turn things over to his wife. I guess the evidence must have been overwhelming for him to give up on a trial and just hand over his fortune. Anyways, as it turns out, he passed over the dentistry to you Dan!" she said with a huge smile. "You're officially the new boss!"

Dan was left completely speechless. Suddenly, he remembered the discussion he had with the old man about living life in the present. It seemed that things had certainly started going his way.

"Isabelle, how would you like to join me and my wife for dinner tonight? I think this calls for some celebration." He said with a wide smile.

Isabelle squealed and hugged her colleague in response.

**\- End of Flashback -**

He was currently enjoying a glass of wine with his wife. Isabelle had left with her partner not so long ago, and Hermione was sound asleep in her room.

"So, what do you think Dan, would you like to have another addition to the family?" asked Emma. He knew that this conversation was coming the moment he recounted the day's events to his wife. He saw that small gleam of hope in her eye, knowing that in the end, he would give in either way, never being able to resist giving his beloved something that she truly wanted.

"I don't know Emma, another addition to our family is one thing, but adopting? Let's say that I agree with you for a moment, and we adopt. What happens when the kid sees what Hermione can do? He would just make her feel even worse about herself! You know how the other kids got at school. It's enough that she was mocked for her academic aspirations, add to that the fact that she's basically capable of witchcraft? I can't say that I want to see her hurt like that… Not again." He said, staring at the wine he was absentmindedly sloshing around in his glass.

It had taken a considerable amount of time trying to explain to their daughter why she couldn't attend school like the other kids. Why they had a certain privilege and she didn't. In the end, they were lucky that she was such a bookworm, always burying herself in literature as a way of escaping reality.

Dan knew that it couldn't possibly be healthy, growing up without much socializing. That was one of the main reasons he was actually considering this and not dismissing the idea out front.

"Dan, you know you can't keep her wrapped in bubble wrap and hidden from the world forever. Sooner or later she's going to start asking questions. She's already way too mature for her age." She argued.

Dan knew she was right, but she was his little girl! He would go to the ends of the world to protect her, to make her happy. And therein lies the root of the problem. He could not do these two things at the same time. At least not in his current situation.

"You know we could always try again, but we're getting old Dan. You know we didn't have much luck after Hermione, add that to the fact that we're getting older and it is a recipe meant for disaster. Hermione is already 7 years old! She would still be without anyone even if we managed to conceive a child."

"I don't know Emma; don't you think this is something that we should be discussing with her?" he asked his wife, taking a small sip of the vintage wine in his glass. A small present from Isabelle and her partner.

"Dan, I know for a fact that she would love nothing else than to have a sibling. She's so lonely, why do you think she buries herself in books? We could adopt someone closer to her age. I'm sure that living with her as a sibling is better than the life of an orphan. They'll learn to love each other, bringing out the best in one another. It would help bring her out of that shell…" Emma said with that pleading look that always made him give in to anything.

Honestly, how could he say no to her? After everything she has done for him, the sacrifices she's made.

Out of nowhere, he remembered his conversation with the old man. How he should live in the moment instead of worrying over the future.

Dan released a small sigh.

"Alright… You win, Emma" he said in resignation. Not like there was an alternate reality where he would have been able to say no to her.

She gave him that smile that always made his heart lift and reached out across the table to hold his hand.

"You won't regret this Dan, I have a feeling that this is something that we need to do. Not only for us but for our daughter."

_February 21, 1987_

Harry stared at Hermione, not sure if he had seen her around the orphanage up until now. He wouldn't be surprised, seeing as the boys and girls were kept in different wings of the building. She was a little bit taller than him, with curly brown hair tied back into a bun and two small expensive-looking earrings with blue gems. She was wearing a yellow sundress with sunflower mints splattered across it and a pair of white sandals to complement the whole set.

Shrugging, he muttered a quick "Sure", ignoring her question before returning to his thoughts, not wanting to give her his name.

"How come you're back here and not with the other kids trying to make a good impression?" asked Hermione while swinging.

"I don't know, I guess I don't want to get my hopes up for nothing. It's not like there is a chance of me being adopted either way. Even if I was, I would get sent back here anyways." He said while giving his feet a look of resignation.

"Oh, come on, I don't think you should give up. I'm sure there's a family out there that would gladly adopt you!" she said with way too much cheer.

Harry was beginning to get annoyed by this girl. It was like she didn't know, or cared, about who he was. Not to mention how she seemed unaware of the rumors that the other kids spread behind his back. What he was capable of and all the things that he had 'done' so far. Harry had quickly realized that word got around the orphanage mysteriously fast.

"Listen, err, Hermione, is it? Not to be rude or anything, but why are you back here? They're far more likely to adopt you than any of us boys.

"Oh, ehm, I just arrived here recently," she said avoiding his question.

Harry could see a small blush creeping up her neck. He didn't have a clue what she could be so embarrassed about so decided to just change the topic to avoid any uncomfortable situations.

"I'm Harry, by the way," he said awkwardly.

"Nice to meet you Harry," she said, the small blush returning tenfold.

After a few minutes of swinging in awkward silence, he decided to speak up to break it.

"Hey, you want to see something really cool?" asked Harry, wanting to get a funny reaction from her when she saw what he would do.

"Sure!"

Harry got off the swing and picked up a small pebble from the ground. He held it in the palm of his hand and stared at it, focusing on what he wanted to happen and not blinking for minutes.

Hermione just stared at him, wondering what he was trying to do. She was about to say something when the pebble started trembling. At first lightly but intensifying ever so slightly. Finally, it lifted off Harry's hand and levitated somewhat lazily a few centimeters above it.

He looked over at her to see her reaction, hoping to see her freaked out. Instead, she was looking at him with a calculating gaze, almost as if she were in a trance.

He had honestly not expected that. At all.

"Not bad, but now it's my turn!" she said while starting to swing ever so higher.

Harry thought she might actually get herself hurt trying to do something stupid and was about to protest when she jumped at the highest point.

Harry could not believe what he saw. She actually levitated on her way down! She was just like him!

"So, what do you think?" she said with a mischievous smile.

Harry just gaped at her, opening his mouth to say something but realizing that he was incapable of speech at the moment. He didn't realize the irony of his current predicament. He had expected her to be the one in his position, not the other way around!

"You-… Do you understand what this means? You're just like me! Where have you been all my life?!" he said, eliciting a small blush from her. Oblivious to her reaction, he was going through the endless number of possibilities that rushed through his head, thinking of how best to exploit their gifts together. How they could develop and eventually master their abilities.

"Okay Hermione, I understand that you just got to the orphanage and everything, so I'm going to take a risk right now and propose something. You see, the other kids… they don't like people like us."

"Harry…"

"They don't understand, not like they actually want to. So, here's the thing. You have a chance to not be isolated from the rest of society. You could hide your gift and pretend to be just like the others."

"Harry-"

"You could easily live among them and be an ordinary person, easily acquiring happiness for yourself. _Or_, you could be my friend."

Hermione was taken aback by the sincerity of that statement.

"We can figure out how this… this thing-… this _gift,_ works, together! Do you understand of the potential that we have? What we could be capable of? The endless possibilities, never again being mocked for being different. So much power…" He said, mostly to himself by the end.

"Harry!" she cried.

He snapped out of the momentary trance he was in, noticing that the ground was trembling with dust and a few pebbles rotating around him, as if excited and hungry for power. That was enough to make him stop.

"Sorry, I guess I got a bit carried away…" he said.

"Listen, Harry, I have to tell you something. But first, I want to make something clear. If we want to make this work, you have to promise me something." She said with a serious expression.

This sobered up Harry, unsure as to what to expect.

"Okay, let me hear it," he said, thinking that whatever she would ask from him would be worth it in the end. He would finally have an equal and there was nothing that would stop him from helping his long-desired wish come true.

"I want you to promise me never to use your gift... _our_ gift, for selfish causes. I want you to guarantee to me that, no matter how tempting, no matter what happens, you won't use it for nefarious purposes" she said while staring at him an intense gaze, with a small sparkle of hope in her eyes.

Harry was actually perplexed for a moment. He didn't see why she was asking him for this. It's not like the others mattered.

His hand automatically reached up to his necklace, something he did when he was in deep thought.

Why should he be nice to the very people who seemed keen on confining him to a life of misery? Why should he turn a blind eye after everything that they said behind his back? After the way he was judged and mistreated.

Then again, it seemed like he had no choice. He couldn't let an opportunity like this pass up, he would rather make absurd promises than to live a solitary life as he had so far.

He looked into her eyes and knew in that instant that she wanted him to make the promise. He could see that she too desired to finally have someone like her in her life.

Now that he thought about it, it didn't seem like that much of a sacrifice. At least this way he would finally have an equal, someone who actually _understood_. He would need a moral compass, someone who would keep him grounded and his ego in check.

After coming to that revelation, something shifted within him. He couldn't necessarily explain what, but he felt it nevertheless.

"Alright Hermione, you have yourself a deal," he said, letting go of his necklace and extending his hand.

Hermione gave him a smile and shook his hand.

"Come on, there are some people I want you to meet." She said, not letting go of his hand and leading him back towards the orphanage.

**So there you go, hope you enjoyed this chapter. I think ill just skip Harry's meeting with the Grangers since I don't think that there is much importance in writing that. I'll do a few chapters where they bond and so on (maybe 2-3 chapters with little one-shots) and then they'll receive their letter. Either way, until next time! :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello Guys! So it's been a while (about half a year to be exact). Honestly, I had completely forgotten about this story. I just recently got a new laptop and found the story while transferring some files to a flash drive. Anyway, I saw that I had a chapter that was half-way done and I had some time to spare (guess there are some positive sides to this quarantine, huh?) Either way, I thought I would finish it real quick and post it. Then I got a bunch of cool new ideas. Boy, do I have some stuff for you guys! I will try to write more in the future and hopefully, this story will develop accordingly. Also, I realize that Harry and Hermione's vocabulary might be a bit too refined, and they might be a bit too mature for their age. The maturity can be explained because of their difficult pasts. As to the cause of their speaking skills being so developed? Magic. There, don't question it. **

**Before you begin, I would also like to point out that in a previous chapter I used the USD currency instead of the GBP. Just ignore that, I'll try to use the correct one from now on. Either way, I think you've been waiting for long enough as it is, so I won't bother you with my comments. Here you go:**

_**Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all associated characters are property of J.K. Rowling.**_

_He looked into her eyes and knew in that instant that she wanted him to make the promise. He could see that she too desired to finally have someone like her in her life._

_Now that he thought about it, it didn't seem like that much of a sacrifice. At least this way he would finally have an equal, someone who actually understood. He would need a moral compass, someone who would keep him grounded and his ego in check._

_After coming to that revelation, something shifted within him. He couldn't necessarily explain what, but he felt it nevertheless. _

"_Alright Hermione, you have yourself a deal," he said, letting go of his necklace and extending his hand._

_Hermione gave him a smile and shook his hand._

"_Come on, there are some people I want you to meet." She said, not letting go of his hand and leading him back towards the orphanage._

* * *

**February 22, 1987 – Sunday, 9:00 A.M.**

Harry woke to the pleasant smell of pancakes. Most people would maybe drift back to sleep for a little more, seeing as it was a bright Sunday morning, but he hadn't gotten much of it anyway. He reached over to the small nightstand for his glasses and put them on, studying the foreign surroundings. It was a small room with white walls and not much for decoration. Beside the door, there was a desk with a globe sitting right on it, and a few notebooks and pencils. On the opposite side of the room lay his wooden framed bed right under a window overlooking the Grangers' garden.

The Grangers. He was still having difficulties processing his current situation. After making his promise yesterday, Hermione had taken him into the orphanage and introduced him to her parents. Of course, she wasn't an orphan! Not with the expensive-looking clothing that she wore. Now that he thought about it, she hadn't really acted like the other orphans.

He was brought out of his thoughts by a knock at the door.

"Harry, are you up yet?" said Hermione while slightly opening the door.

"Yeah, I'm up".

Hermione took that as her cue to enter.

"So, how did you sleep? Are you ready to get breakfast? Mom said that she's taking us shopping later on today to get you some decent clothes. If we're lucky we might even stop at the library! Man, I can't wait. She's really looking forward to getting to know you, you know. Although I'm sure you've figured that out by now. Dad is going to be working all day, so you'll only get to see him later on tonight. By the way, I was thinking about what we talked about yesterday-".

"Woah there Hermione, slow down a bit, won't you? Don't forget to breathe" he said with a small smile. He had known her for less than 24 hours and already she was the most important person in the world to him. He couldn't put his finger on it, but there was something about her that made him open up unlike never before. Of course, he wouldn't be telling her that any time soon.

A small blush crept up her neck (honestly, what was she so embarrassed about?) and murmured a quick okay.

"Anyways, you should get ready, breakfast is ready. See you downstairs?"

"Yeah, I'll be down in a few. Still trying to process all of this, you know?" he said while gesturing to his surroundings.

"Yeah, I understand. I'll go and tell mom then" she said and headed downstairs.

Harry heard the faint sound of her footsteps getting further away until he could hear her no more.

He absentmindedly reached for his necklace and stared out of the window.

He really hoped that this thing with the Grangers worked out. He would be in his best behavior at all times and not take this opportunity for granted. He fished out his journal from under the mattress (the one he had gotten for Christmas) and wrote down a few quick thoughts. He hadn't really been using it that often, but he figured that he would look back someday and think about how his life had turned around for the better.

With a small sigh, he finished the last sentence and headed downstairs.

* * *

**February 22, 1987 – Sunday, 2:00 P.M.**

London, Westfield Shopping Mall

Harry looked up at the enormous building complex and wondered if this was such a good idea after all. He didn't do good in foreign places, especially seeing as he had never been to a mall before. Not to mention bustling London streets with its huge crowds and traffic.

"Well, here we are kids! Is there any store, in particular, you'd like to check out first Harry?" asked Emma with a smile, watching Hermione as she skipped to a small bookstore by then entrance.

"Actually Mrs. Granger, I've never really been shopping before…"

Emma looked a bit embarrassed at that revelation

"Ah, yes. Sorry about that Harry, I hadn't really thought about it" she said, putting a hand on his shoulder.

Harry instinctively recoiled as if struck but gathered himself quickly. The thought of physical affection still eluded him. Call him crazy, but he just didn't feel comfortable with people so close. Not yet anyway. He was pretty sure Hermione would be changing that in the foreseeable future.

"That's okay Mrs. Granger, I understand. It's not really your fault" he said with a small reassuring smile.

"Please, call me Emma. You are now as much a part of this family as the others, and never doubt that for a second! Either way, I don't think you'd be comfortable calling me Mom, at least not for now. But I really do hope that day comes" she said with a loving smile and a small pat on the same shoulder.

"Okay… Emma" he said, trying to return the smile. He really liked Emma; she was one of the nicest people he had ever met.

"Eh, I think we should get going before Hermione ransacks that bookstore," he said with a small chuckle.

"Don't even get me started; she has enough books as it is!"

* * *

**June 21, 1991; Friday 9:00 A.M –Naples, Italy: Summer Solstice**

Harry couldn't believe the summer he had had so far. They had traveled with his family all across Italy, visiting the usual tourist attractions and more. The rest of the time that was not spent sightseeing was used for going to museums and learning all about the country's culture and history. They would also stop and eat at the local restaurants and try some of Italy's best culinary delights (yes, that included pizza and gelato most of the time.) It had been a wonderful summer vacation, and he was really sad to see it come to an end.

Today was the last day they would be spending here, and then they would catch a plane back to England in the morning. He couldn't believe how much had changed. It had been almost four and a half years since he had met the Grangers. He had been speculative at first, not wanting to get his hopes up again, but they had really come through. He was as much a part of the family as Hermione!

Speaking of which, he was brought out of his thoughts by someone shifting in the sheets of the bed next to his.

"Morning Sunshine," he said with a mocking tone as Hermione sat up and stretched, her bushy hair falling over her eyes and standing out in all the wrong places. Not like he could complain, with his hair being just as messy if not more.

"Erghnn…"

"Looks like someone had a little too much apple juice last night," he said with a chuckle.

Thing was, she _had_ drunk too much apple juice.

They had stayed out late at night with her parents, conversing amiably between each other and just having a good time overall, planning out the next day's trip to make it all that memorable. They had stayed out until 11:00 p.m., which was way after their curfew. By that time, Hermione had had around 5 or 6 cups of the stuff. Seeing as both her parents were dentists, she wasn't really used to consuming large quantities of sugar at a time. She ended up having a sugar rush and passing out in their apartment's living room.

"It's too early for your witty remarks, Potter," she said as she fell back on the bed, moaning the last part into the pillow.

"You are the embodiment of grace, Granger," he said ironically.

"Just let me sleep ten more minutes. After that, I promise you can throw all the witty remarks you want" she said, already drifting back to sleep.

"As tempting as that is…" Harry said as he started concentrating on the pillow.

"I have a better idea…"

Once he felt he was clear enough with his intent, he stretched his hand toward Hermione's pillow and poured magic into it, making it suddenly fly out under her head, as if an invisible hand had grabbed it by the corner and just yanked it out from underneath her.

Opening her eyes in defeat, she sat up and glared at her brother.

"It's on, Potter," she said, stretching out her hand towards Harry's pillow and pouring her magic into her intent as Harry had taught her.

Harry stared as the pillow slightly trembled, lazily levitated, and proceeded to fall back on to the bed.

". . . . . Phhwahaha, what was tha-"he said as he was turning back, only to get intercepted mid-way by a pillow to his face. He was knocked back towards his bed, tripping on the covers that he had pushed off during the night and fell on his bottom.

"Looks like raw talent isn't always enough, Potter," she said laughing, walking over and stretching out her hand to help him up.

Harry just stared at her, slightly irritated at how easily she had outsmarted him. He should have known it was a trick; they were almost equaled in the field of magic, for crying out loud. While Harry might be the more magic-attuned one, Hermione was no slouch either. What affinity Harry had for magic, Hermione compensated through sheer intuitiveness and wit.

Finally, he sighed and took her hand, standing upright beside her.

He noticed that he was almost as tall as her.

He had been scrawny for as long as he could remember, with all kids his age towering above him. Not that it was his fault. The simple fact was, he had been under-fed all of his life prior to meeting the Grangers. Always forced to make meals and not partake in them, constantly being taunted with food by his cousin. But there _was_ a silver lining, Harry had to admit.

Even though he had been forced to learn how to cook, it was something that he had grown to love. Not only was it relaxing, but it also helped to escape the reality that had been his life. He could clear his thoughts and had an activity to kill time with. In the end, he would actually be glad that things had been that way. It had given him something that forged a special bond between Emma and him.

Getting back to the present, he noticed that Hermione was staring at him.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" he asked, wondering how long he had dosed off for.

"What are you talking about? _You're_ the one who was staring at me with this weird look on your face. What was _that _all about?

"I'm sure you just imagined it," he said, quickly gathering himself.

With one final scrutinizing look, she finally let the matter drop.

"Whatever, let's just get ready, we have a long day ahead of us," she said while heading for their bathroom.

"Yeah, okay. I'll just start today's entry on my Journal" he said while reaching for said Journal and a pencil.

"Oh, you mean your Diary?" Hermione taunted with a small laugh in the end.

"Come on, you promised you wouldn't call it that!" he said as he heard the shower being turned on.

"Sorry, _I can't heeaaar you_" he heard from inside.

Harry ignored her and got started on that day's entry.

* * *

**June 21, 1991; Friday 2:00 P.M – Mount Vesuvius, Naples, Italy**

They had just arrived at the parking spot at the base of Mt. Vesuvius. About time too, that bus ride had been borderline torture. Aside from the small seats on the vehicle, the air conditioning had been malfunctioning and the windows being open hadn't helped one bit. On the bright side, they were going to check out an active volcano! Harry couldn't believe how cool that was.

It had originally been his idea, and he had spent the greater half of last night trying to convince Emma and Dan to skip their planned boat tour and go there. To be honest, he didn't know why he wanted to go so badly himself. They had momentarily passed the volcano when they were driving by the coast, and Harry had felt as if it were calling to him. That was the main reason his parents had agreed to come in the first place. Call it a reward for being honest with them, though they would still take precautions. Turns out parents don't like to take their children to dangerous areas, go figure.

They would be taking a small 200-meter hike to the edge of the main crater, after which they would visit the Historic Museum Observatory which was half-way down the trail. Then they would go back to the city and have a quiet dinner somewhere nice. But that was nowhere near here, Harry would be looking out for anything peculiar, or the tiniest sign that the weird feeling was coming back again.

Actually, now that he thought about, there was a small lingering feeling in the back of his mind. He couldn't really decipher it, but it felt like... anticipation? Huh, how peculiar.

"Hey Hermione? That weird feeling is back" he whispered to his sister.

She took a quick look at her parents who were busy talking to a local guide and gestured for Harry to come a bit further away.

"What do you feel now?" she whispered while grabbing a hold of his wrist. She had made him promise to tell her if he felt it again. She was scared that it would mean trouble or that something was going to happen.

"I don't know… I think its excitement? I mean, I don't know why I feel like this, it's just a volcano after all. It's as if I have been waiting for this for a long time. Pretty weird, huh?" he said with a chuckle.

"This is no laughing matter, Harry! What if you're just misinterpreting the feeling? What if we are being lured by something into danger?" she asked while slightly tightening her grip on his wrist.

"Geez Hermione, stop being such a pessimist. But in all seriousness, I don't think that's it. It's hard to explain, but I feel like I need to trust my instincts about this."

Hermione just stared at him, not sure how she felt about that.

"Hey, I had a pretty good feeling about you, and it turned out great. Please, just trust me on this" he begged with his emerald green eyes wholly focused on her, it was almost frightening. Finally, she gave in. Just like she knew she would. Sometimes, Harry was too good of a sweet-talker.

"Fine, but the moment things start going wrong, we're telling Mom and Dad," she said while crossing her arms.

"Deal! Now come on, let's go back before Dan decides to take over the Tour Guide's place."

* * *

**June 21, 1991; Friday 3:15 P.M. – Mount Vesuvius, Historic Museum Observatory**

Harry was currently browsing through the gift shop by the Observatory entrance. Hermione and the others had stayed behind in the Observatory to look around more, as the old antiques and history of the Volcano had completely fascinated them.

Harry, on the other hand, had other ambitions. He hadn't realized it, but the nagging feeling he had before had quietly drifted back from the secluded parts of his mind, getting stronger and more urgent by the minute. That is why he was currently here; the feeling had reached its peak when he walked past the shop at the end of the exhibition.

He was currently contemplating whether or not to go and tell Hermione. On the one hand, he still didn't think there was anything to worry about. On the other, he had promised to tell her if anything was up. With the latter weighing heavily on his conscience, he released a resigned sigh and headed back towards the exhibition hall.

He found the Grangers listening closely to the Museum Guide while he was explaining something to do with the last eruption of the volcano and the impact it had on Naples.

Trying but failing to catch Hermione's eye, he decided to do something risky. He wasn't really supposed to do this in public, but he really didn't want to draw Dan and Emma's attention.

Focusing on his intent, he tried to flare his aura as he had practiced with Hermione several times. It was a tricky thing, seeing as they were still fairly young and their full magical potential had yet to be fulfilled, but they had managed it before. Not on a great scale, but large enough to be noticeable. The fact that they had become so close and they could easily recognize each other's magic made their magic's strength irrelevant.

Hermione's eyes widened in surprised and she cautiously looked around.

She gave him a look conveying a question.

'_Is it back?'_

'_Yes'_ Harry nodded and walked out of view of Hermione's parents.

"Hey Daddy, I'm going to go catch up with Harry at the gift shop, is that okay?"

"Yeah, sure thing sweetie. Just don't wander off" he said inattentively while pointing something out to his wife. They were currently occupied studying the jawline of a skeleton found under the volcanic rubble after the volcano's last eruption. Dentists, who would have thought?

Hermione turned and started walking to where Harry was waiting.

"So what happened?" Hermione asked urgently.

"The feeling, it's back. But it's not the same. Well, it is the same, only now it is much clearer! I really can't explain, but I think it's coming from the gift shop." he said excitedly.

"Okay, let's take a look around".

They entered the shop and started to study their surroundings. There wasn't much to look at, to be honest. The shop was of a modest, circular shape, with the cash register at the other end facing the entrance, and a circular display table in the middle of the room.

Shelves decorated the walls from the entrance all around the room. There were postcards, plush toys, and refrigerator magnets of the typical gift shop variety scattered everywhere around the shop. The only thing that was of any particular interest was the aforementioned table in the middle of the room.

The glass display contained several pendants and trinkets, along with a wide variety of rocks ranging from amethyst and geodes to other precious stones and metals. Among those stones was a particular one that caught his eye. It was dark as night and of an oval shape, approximately the size of a baseball. He couldn't be sure, but he was fairly convinced that it was calling to him.

It looked like a regular stone at first glance, with an unassuming shape and color. Obsidian if he was correct. Upon closer inspection though, one would be able to see miniature carvings running from the top of the stone, going around in eccentric circles down to the bottom of the rock, which was decorated with veins of purple fire in the inside.

He was pretty sure that they were runes, seeing as they were similar to those that he had seen earlier in the exhibition.

That's when the feeling started to solidify. A small sense of triumph and relief. He could feel the warmth emanating from the obsidian, enthralling him, and captivating his whole being. He stared deep into the stone and saw purple flames, promising warmth, and protection. He felt as if he should know what this rock was, but couldn't for the life of him figure it out.

Turning back to call out for Hermione, he was surprised to see her hovering over his should.

"Is that it?" she said, pointing at the stone Harry had been staring at.

"Argh, don't do that! You scared the living daylights out of me!" Harry exclaimed.

Hermione giggled but gave no answer.

"Whatever. Anyways, yes, I think this is it" he replied and turned back to look at the stone.

"It must be some rock; the price tag sure seems to think so." That was enough to bring Harry out of the small trance and look at the price tag.

"A hundred and ten Euros for a rock?! Emma and Dan will never agree to buy this, even if I used my own allowance!" and that's when it hit him.

_-Flashback-_

_Realizing that he had company, Vernon quickly grunted a quick "I'm gonna have to call you back" before hanging up the phone and turning towards the boy. At first, he didn't say anything; he just stared at him with mixed emotions. He opened his mouth to talk, only to change his mind. Instead, he pulled out his wallet and procured a 100 Pound note from it, signaling for Harry to take it from him. _

"_This is the last time you will ever see us, boy. Consider that money a farewell gift. If I were you, I would spend it wisely." And with that, his Uncle turned his back on him, and they parted ways, never to meet again._

_-Flashback-_

Never in his life did he think he would thank that Walrus of an uncle.

Harry reached into his back-pack, taking out the small journal he always kept on his person.

He opened it up and took out the 100 Pound note he had kept in it for all these years. With that problem solved, he headed towards the cash register.

"Excuse me, Miss, I'd like to make a purchase," he said over the counter, standing on his toes so that his whole head was visible.

The shop assistant looked down at the customer and showed a friendly white smile.

"Sure thing Mister, anything I can assist you with?" she asked.

"Actually, I already know what I would like to purchase," he said, pointing at the glass display. "Is there anything you can tell us about that obsidian rock with the engravings on it?" he asked curiously.

The shop assistant came out from behind the register and headed towards the display, reaching into her back pocket and taking out a small keychain with different sets of keys hanging from it.

"Well, there's not much to say, to be quiet frank. It was recovered a few years back from a digging site not far from here, close to the edge of the crater. Some architects found it and sold it to us, thinking it to be some sort of mineral. Only after we had bought it off him had we realized that it was an old artifact carved from obsidian by the looks of it. Though I don't recall ever seeing obsidian with purple veins like that. The architect mentioned something to do with the summer solstice, though he wasn't really clear about that.

_Interesting_

"Anyways, if you're wondering why an artifact like this would be up for sale, long story short is that the boss deemed it an ordinary rock and decided that selling it would be for the best," she said with an unimpressed tone.

"How long have you had it in stock?" inquired Harry.

"Oh, it's been gathering dust for a few years now. Not really surprised though, I don't think many people would pay that much for a rock" she said while positioning the key into the lock, turning it slightly and opening the top of the display case. She took some latex gloves from inside her pocket, and carefully lifted the rock along with its case. She placed it inside and headed back to the cash register.

_Here came the hard part. Time to lay the old Potter charm._

_**Phase One**__**: **__Set trap_

"Uhm, Miss? There happens to be a small problem. You see, all I have is this 100 Pound note, which I've been saving up for some time, so I can't-"

"-You can't pay in Euro. I'm sorry Mister, but I'm not sure if I can help you with your request. I don't think I'm authorized to make these kinds of decisions. "

_**Status**__**: **__Complete_

_**Phase Two**__**: **__Lay Bait_

"You don't understand Miss, this would literally mean the world to me!" he exclaimed with a little too much vigor.

_Tone it down Potter, you're overdoing it._

"Oh, I highly doubt that young sir" she replied.

_**Status**__**: **__Complete_

_**Phase Three**__**: **__Spring the trap._

_Time for a guilt trip._

"Please, let me explain. You see, this here is actually my step sister. I lost my family when I was a baby and was adopted by her family a little while back after years of domestic abuse and starvation at the hand of my guardians. Don't even get me started on the orphanage… I just wanted to buy this as a reminder of this trip and everything that they have done for me. It's kind of why I'm willing to spend so much money on it, it reminds me that they literally provided me with everything I could ever need or want… A caring family, one who always gives and never asks for anything in return."

"Awww, I might just tear up! That is the sweetest thing I have ever heard! How could I say no to that?" exclaimed the assistant.

Hermione just stared at the exchange between Harry and the lady with her mouth slightly agape. Honestly, this guy! Are those… are those fake tears?! Man, she had to give it to him, it was a masterful performance. Honestly, she didn't know how he did it.

"Tell you what kid, I'm willing to pay for it with my own money in exchange for that note that you have there. What do you think?" she asked kindly.

"Really? You would do that for me? You're too kind Miss! You really don't know how much you've made my trip!"

_**Mission**__**: **__Complete_

_**Analysis:**__ Effective Manipulation. Successful use of his mother's green eyes for an emotionally effective attack. Tears effectively multiplied the guilt trip's usefulness by 40%. Lines could use some chiseling, need to adapt to his growing age and social standing._

_**Overall Effectiveness**__: 75% Percent. _

_**Conclusion**__: You're getting sloppy Potter._

It was with a spring to his step that Harry stepped out of the gift shop with Hermione in tow and headed towards their parents, eager to go home and take a look at the stone.

* * *

**June 21, 1991; Friday 8:30 P.M – Naples, Italy**

_8 Minutes until Summer Solstice Sunset_

Harry and Hermione were currently sitting in the little balcony overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea, the sun steadily heading closer towards the horizon in the west.

They were enjoying some Piña Coladas (alcohol-free of course) and the view, waiting for Dan and Emma so that they could go and have dinner.

The stone was back inside Harry's suitcase, as he had given up on it already.

Ever since he had bought it at the Observatory, nothing special had happened, much to Harry's disappointment. He had studied the carvings on the stone and researched what he could on an Encyclopedia he had found in the lobby of the Hotel, which sadly yielded no results.

He looked over at Hermione, who was staring at the sunset in deep thought.

"Penny for your thoughts?" he said, staring at the view as well.

After a few moments of silence, Hermione spoke.

"I just remembered what the shop assistant had said back at the volcano, regarding the summer solstice. Did you happen to look into that?" she asked.

"Eh, sort of. I couldn't really find anything that connected it to the rock though," he said a bit disappointedly.

"Well, if my memory serves me right, the guide at the exhibition had briefly mentioned that the summer solstice was actually today. That can't be a coincidence, right?" she asked in a low voice.

"When you put it like that, no, I don't think so either. But even if it wasn't, it doesn't change the fact that we basically know nothing about the stone," he said with slight trepidation.

"True, but I was thinking about the markings on it and the purple flame-like veins. Don't you think it's a bit peculiar that it looks like fire? I think that maybe, just maybe, it might have something to do with the sun" she said with a bit of doubt, not wanting to sound stupid.

Much to her surprise, Harry actually liked her idea.

"Hermione, you're a genius!" he said, getting up from his chair and opening the glass door separating the balcony and their room. He went inside and took out the stone from its case, carefully caring it outside to the balcony and placing it on the small table.

_**3 Minutes until Summer Solstice Sunset**_

Harry and Hermione studied the stone sitting on the table, waiting for something to happen already. They just sat in comfortable silence, enveloped by each other's presence and magical aura, something that seemed to happen naturally nowadays.

Suddenly, just as the sun was starting to disappear under the horizon, they felt a foreign magical presence in their company, completely unlike their own, filled with warmth and excitement. It seemed to be greeting them. Both simultaneously looked at the stone on the table, and then at each other. The carvings were slightly glowing and the flame-like purple veins seemed to have come to life. The looked on in silence, waiting for something to happen as the glowing was steadily increasing, up until the point that they had to cover their eyes.

Finally, the last of the sun submerged under the horizon, and the stone gave out a final bright, purple flash.

Once they thought that it was safe to look, they uncovered their eyes and stared at the table.

Harry was completely gob-smacked. On the table lay… a pile of ash? He looked towards where the sun had set, slightly angry. Honestly, was this small spectacle why he spent so much of his money? Man, Hermione would never let him live this down.

He was brought out of his musings as he saw some movement from the corner of his eye.

A small, bald head with big eyes and a small beak was sticking out of the top of the ash; it seemed to be some kind of bird, staring at Harry with unblinking eyes. That's when he knew where the foreign magical presence had come from.

**Aaand there we go. I was planning on making this a short chapter, but I got a bit carried away and ended up changing things here and there. Please let me know as to what your thoughts are concerning the story, and if you have any ideas as to what we should name this mysterious creature (though I'm sure you have figured out what it is by now). Hopefully, I can get in another chapter by this weekend; I have already gotten started on it! Anyways, I hope you all have a nice week and take care of yourselves during these times!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello guys! I hope you're all having a nice day like me! It's a bit cloudy where I'm at with the occasional drizzle. In other words, perfect weather to curl up and catch up on my writing! If you like the story so far, then please consider leaving a review (I hear they help speed up content creation haha). I'd also like to thank Sigmar for his suggestion in regards to the phoenix's name. I might not have chosen it, but I ended up incorporating it into the story either way, so kudos to you mate. Anyway, here's the next chapter:**

* * *

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all associated characters are the property of J.K. Rowling.**

**June 21, 1991; Friday 8:39 P.M – Naples, Italy**

_He was brought out of his musings as he saw some movement from the corner of his eye._

_A small, bald head with big eyes and a small beak was sticking out of the top of the ash; it seemed to be some kind of bird, staring at Harry with unblinking eyes. That's when he knew where the foreign magical presence had come from._

_Hungry. Confused. Sleepy._

"Hermione, what do you think it is?" he asked, unsure as to how he should react to their current situation. Out of all the possibilities he had come up with, hatching a chicken was not one of them.

"I'm not sure... Harry, do you feel that?" she asked cautiously.

"I was beginning to wonder whether you noticed it or not. I think it's communicating with us through aura projection, though it feels a bit unconventional compared to how we do it…" Harry closed his eyes and sank into a meditative state, reaching out with his aura and trying to get a feel for the small creature's magic. Meanwhile, Hermione stretched out her hand ever so slightly to lightly pet the bird's head.

_Soothing. Guardian. Safe._

"Huh, seems to like whatever you're doing," he said with his eyes closed while Hermione kept petting the bird.

"What do you think should we name her?" Hermione, whose whole focus had been on the small creature a second ago, asked abruptly.

"Her? How do you know it's a 'her'?"

"I don't know, I guess I just do," she said with a small shrug.

"Okay… weirdo" he added under his breath.

"What was that?"

"Nothing! I was just, uh, saying how we could maybe name her Cassandra?"

"Is that a question?" she asked with a raised eyebrow. "You know what, whatever. And no, it's too long for my taste. I was thinking of something more meaningful. What's your opinion on Kaen? It's the Japanese word for flame, I think it would be cute."

"She doesn't really look like a Kaen in my opinion though, and we're not giving her that name just because you think it's cute! Honestly, you've been reading too much of Dan's manga collection.

_Humph_

After a few minutes of contemplation, Hermione spoke up again.

"What about Hestia?"

Harry considered the name while Hermione continued speaking in the background, gears already set on 'Oral Speaker' mode.

"I think it really suits her, not to mention the fact that Hestia plays a great, if not overly mentioned role in Greek mythology as the goddess of the hearth. It would give her name some symbolism and history! Not only that, but Hestia also represents some principles that you yourself might value more than the vast majority of people on this planet, things like family and home!

"Did you know, she was originally the firstborn child of the Titans Kronos and Rhea? That is until she was swallowed whole along with her siblings. Fun fact, being the first to be devoured by her father and the last to be yielded up again makes her both the eldest and the youngest of her godly siblings! Isn't that weird? Man, Greek mythology sure is fascinating! Did you know that it is speculated that she gave her seat in the Olympic council to Dionysus, the god of Wine -"

"Hermione, you're rambling about History again," Harry said nonchalantly while 'waking up' from his meditative state. The creature's aura had a curious feel to it. It emanated warmth and calmed his thoughts. He could feel the touch of fire within the creature, it was almost like a tiny, dark flame.

Hermione snapped her mouth shut as a small blush crept up her neck.

"But I actually do think it suits her. Hestia it is" he agreed, to which Hermione just let out a satisfied humph.

Harry turned towards the fragile creature and stared at her.

"You hear that girl? Do you like your new name?" he said while reaching out to gently run his finger down Hestia's back.

_Happy. Satisfied. Sleepy._

They were interrupted by Dan yelling out from inside."Harry? Hermione? Are you guys ready?"

"Be there in a minute!" they called out in unison.

Harry turned back to Hermione to see that she was sporting a little frown.

"What's wrong?"

"I don't think we've realized the full extent to what we are committing to, the responsibility that we will undertake. We're going to be responsible for Hestia's life! I mean, how do we even get her back to Britain? I'm pretty sure this would be considered Wildlife Smuggling, not to mention how many weird experiments the government would do if they got their hands on her! And what if we get caught? We can't just tell Mom and Dad about her, they would never let us keep her!" she said with worry.

"Right. Well, _I_ for one think you're overreacting. Hermione, we can do this together! If it consoles your conscience, Hestia is a _magical_ creature, so the laws don't really apply to her now, do they?" he said matter-of-factly.

"Anyway, there's nothing to worry about, I have it all figured out," he said with a mischievous smile.

Hermione just stared at Harry with an unamused expression, knowing that he already had some crazy plan to get Hestia back home.

* * *

**June 23, 1991 – Sunday, 10:30 A.M. Back at home.**

Harry and Hermione were walking down their driveway towards the car, excited for the day ahead of them. They had convinced their parents to take them to the Zoo, hoping to find some clue there as to what sort of creature Hestia was. Not that Dan and Emma were privy to this information. As a matter of fact, due to no small amount of luck (or in their case, magic), they were able to smuggle Hestia to Britain in the side pocket of Harry's shorts, with Dan and Emma being none the wiser. To be honest, Hermione was surprised that Harry's ingenious 'plan' had worked at all. Given the circumstances, it had all been worth it. They got Hestia home safe and sound, immediately getting her settled in Harry's room, right under his bed. Not much of a hiding place, but they were pretty confident Dan and Emma wouldn't invade their privacy like that. She was already starting to show beautiful, dark purple plumage. She slept most of the day

Speaking of whom, she let out a small chirp as if to signal her dissatisfaction at being kept in such a small restricting space, not unlike the one she had traveled in on her way to Britain.

_Dark. Confining. Irritated._

Harry reached into the front pocket of his jacket and scratched the top of her head.

"Don't worry girl, this is only temporary" he murmured while projecting an aura of promise. He knew how much Hestia disliked being put in small spaces, but until they had a better solution, she would just have to endure it. The small nuts that he fed her helped alleviate some of her irritation.

After a grueling 20 minute drive, they finally arrived at the Zoo. Dan paid the admission fees and let them be on their way, knowing that they liked to watch the animals at their own pace. He and Emma usually just stayed behind and let them do as they pleased, knowing that they would not wander off from their sight.

When Harry and Hermione were a bit further away, he opened up the small pocket so that Hestia could stick her head out, which she did in an overly dramatic fashion while letting out an irritated chirp, as if to say 'finally'.

"Honestly Hestia, you're such a drama queen," he chuckled.

"Come on Harry, you can't really blame her, can you? She's just a baby after all" she said while reaching out to pet the small bird.

_Pleased. Smug. Satisfied._

"This is why she's like this 'Mione, you just keep on spoiling her," he said rolling his eyes.

"Whatever Potter. Come on; let's hurry up so we can explore the aviary."

**12:30 A.M.**

Hermione was currently pacing around the Reptile House waiting for Harry to come back, not necessarily looking at any particular animal. They had found nothing worth mentioning at the aviary, not like they had had high expectations in the first place. He had excused himself to go look for the little boy's room almost 10 minutes ago, which seemed to be a bit too long in her opinion. Their parents were waiting outside, not wanting to go in the herpetarium because of the stench, so she was basically alone. Except for Hestia, Harry had given her a little while ago since they were taking turns on watching over her.

"I wonder what's taking Harry so long," she said to the small purse at her side in which Hestia was resting on a small pillow. She let out a small chirp and drifted back to sleep.

"What's that in your bag?" someone said close to her.

Hermione stopped pacing and looked up to where the voice had come from, seeing the two boys that had been yelling and tapping on the glass of the enclosures since she had first set foot in the building.

_Crap_

"N-nothing, why do you ask?"

"I saw you talking to it just now. So what's in the bag?" he said pointing at it.

"I already told you. And even if there was, I don't see how that's any of your business," Hermione said with a small huff.

"Come on, just show us, we promise not to tell anyone!"

"I said no, now leave me alone!" she exclaimed.

"Ah-hah! So there is something there. Give it here!" The kid took a step forward her and grabbed onto her. "Now show me what you have there before I push you to the ground and take it myself!" Hermione was really frightened right now; she didn't know what to do. All she knew was that she could not risk provoking these kids, there was no telling what sort of idiocy they were capable of.

"Let me go! I'm going to tell your parents what you're doing!" she said as a last resort. The kid just laughed at her mockingly.

"You hear that Gordon? She's going to tell on me! Ha-ha!" He then turned back to Hermione and grabbed her by the shirt. "Listen here kid, I'm starting to run out of patience, so what's it gonna be?" he asked.

"How about you pick on someone your own size, _Diddykins_?" said a recognizable voice. The boy let go of Hermione and turned towards the uninvited guest, ready to pound his head silly for the insult. Only his mom could call him that! He stopped on his tracks the moment he got a closer look at the familiar emerald green eyes and the lightning-shaped scar.

"Is that- _Freak?!_ I thought we had gotten rid of you for good. What are _you_ doing here?" he said with a sneer.

"I don't think that concerns you in any way. What you _should_ be worried about is that you just tried to hurt Hermione, who, to be quite frank, I'm really protective of" Harry responded menacingly. He didn't know why, but the moment he had set his eyes on Dudley, he had been overwhelmed by feelings he thought were long gone. Buried and forgotten in the deepest corners of his mind. Sadness, anger, and resentment resurfaced, boiling with hatred for all those years of torment. A cold, bottomless pit of rage swelled within Harry. He was going to hurt Hermione. He had taken his eyes off her for ten minutes!

Taking a deep breath, he focused on Hermione and Hestia, their presence helping dissipate his anger. Two beautiful souls anchoring him to the reality that was his life. There was warmth emanating from them, a warmth that helped soothe his ice-cold rage. Determined on a course of action, he gave Hermione a look that only she could decipher and turned back towards his cousin. Hermione stepped back out of sight, forgotten by the boys after Harry's sudden appearance.

Harry focused his turmoiling feelings and his will to protect Hermione and directed it at the glass window behind Dudley and his friend. Almost immediately, the window that had previously separated the snake enclosure and the visitors of the zoo vanished. The same window that Dudley and Gordon had been furiously banging on a few minutes prior to the encounter.

Hermione and Gordon were the first to notice the snake that had slithered out of its enclosure, which proceeded to menacingly hiss at Dudley's friend. Something Dudley was completely oblivious to.

"Eh, Dudley?" Gordon said in a small voice.

"Why don't you come and do something about it then? I bet you're scared, aren't you, _Freak?_"

"Dudley?!" Gordon exclaimed a bit louder, holding on to his arm with a tight grip, afraid to make any sudden movements in fear of aggravating the snake.

"Hold on Gordon, can't you see I'm busy at the moment?" he said while not taking his eyes off Harry.

"Me? Oh, _I'm_ not going to do anything. That snaked behind you looks pretty irritated though. A small tip for the future, you shouldn't tap on the glass of the confinements, it really agitates the animals" he said, crossing his arms.

"DUDLEY!" Gordon yelled, finally snapping Dudley out of his temporary confusion.

"WHAT?—" He finally noticed the boa constrictor coiled on the floor, ready to strike the humans that had taunted it so disrespectfully on the other side of the invisible wall. Harry turned his attention to the snaked which he had let out and hissed.

_Give the fat kid and hiss friend a sscare. That iss my price for your freedom. Do not hurt them. Do that and I'll conssider your debt paid ._

The boa looked at Harry with something akin to surprise before nodding its head in admission and hissing back.

_Ass you wissh, sspeaker._

The boa turned back and struck at the air between the two humans, making Dudley and Gordon jump and turn on the spot, running out of the building screaming with a boa constrictor hot on their tail. High on adrenaline for standing up to his long-time bully, Harry failed to realize that he had just given orders to a snake, and it had actually obeyed him.

"Run piggy, run!" he said with a small chuckle. Man, revenge sure was sweet.

"Harry, you just set a boa constrictor on that boy and his friend!" Hermione spoke out of nowhere, dragging his attention back to the present.

"Not only was that foolish, but it could also be potentially dangerous! What if it bites them? And why was he calling you a freak? Where do you know each other from?"

"Don't worry, I told it not to.. hurt… them." Harry and Hermione finally realized what had happened.

He had spoken to a snake.

_He had spoken to a snake._

He didn't know whether to be happy or scared.

"I-I just spoke to a snake… I just _spoke_ to a _snake_. Did I really just speak to a snake?" he asked Hermione with uncertainty.

Hermione nodded, her previous questions forgotten due to the discovery of Harry's new ability. Harry just stared at Hermione with widened eyes, shocked. A couple of moments of silence followed before Harry hugged her and spoke up.

"I get a magic chicken _and_ can speak to snakes? Magic is awesome!"

Hermione just shook her head in exasperation as an unamused chirp sounded from the bag. It was shortly after that moment that a worried Daniel and Emma Granger barged into the Reptile House, having witnessed a fat boy being chased out of the building by a large snake, and somehow knowing that their charges had something to do with it.

* * *

**July 31, 1991 - Harry's Birthday; Wednesday, 8:37 a.m**

"Come on Hestia, you can do it!" Hermione called to Hestia who was perched on Harry's arm, sending waves of encouragement towards Harry's familiar.

They could be found in Harry's room standing 5 feet apart facing each other, arms stretched out to the side in an attempt to teach Hestia how to fly. She was already around 25 centimeters tall. Her plumage had developed beautifully, and decorated Hestia's body with purple feathers so dark, they could almost be considered black.

A little over a month old, Hestia displayed a cunning intellect they didn't think possible. She was of an adamant nature with a protective streak over her Guardians, occasionally showing a playful side. She also had a soft spot for the Grangers, thought that was mostly due to the fact that her Guardians were so fond of them. They were interrupted by a knock on the door, followed by Emma peeking her head in.

"Hey, guys, what's all the commotion about? Still trying to teach Hestia how to fly?" she asked proceeding to enter the room and open the curtains, letting the room flood in sunlight, making Hestia glow like a purple flame.

It turned out that hiding Hestia was easier said than done, a much harder task than they had originally thought. They had not taken into account that Harry's room had thin walls and was right next to Dan and Emma's. They lasted exactly 10 days before they were caught. Turns out, when you've been woken up in the middle of the night the last five nights by loud chirping, you're going to ask questions.

And so they had come clean and explained how they came to have her in their possession and what she meant to them. It was a close call but in the end, Dan and Emma had agreed to let them keep Hestia, on the condition that they take full responsibility for raising her. They had even gone so far as to register her as a black goshawk.

"Yeah but she's being stubborn about it and won't even give it a try," Harry commented, giving Hestia a small glare to which she replied by smacking him with her wing.

"Hey, that was totally uncalled for!" he said, rubbing his head with the hand currently not supporting Hestia. Hermione and Emma giggled while Hestia took the opportunity to spread her wings and jump towards Hermione, gracefully landing on her outstretched arm.

"Aw, look at her, she's so beautiful!" exclaimed Emma and proceeded to run her fingers down her back, Hestia cooing in satisfaction.

"Anyway, I just came up to ask if you wanted anything specific for breakfast? You're only 11 once after all!" she said with a quick ruffling of his hair.

"What do you think Hestia, are you up for some pancakes?" Hestia flew over to Harry's shoulder as if in agreement. "I think that's a yes from us"

"I bet you knew how to fly all along, huh girl?" he said fondly, scratching the back of her head as she liked.

"Alright, I'll go ahead and get started then," Emma said, exiting Harry's room and quietly closing the door behind her.

"Come on, let's get dressed for the day and head downstairs too."

**9:10 a.m**

The whole family was enjoying breakfast in the dining room, talking amiably, and enjoying the blueberry pancakes they were so fond of. Their meal was cut off by a tapping sound coming from the window. There was an owl perched on the window sill, with what seemed to be letters tied to its leg, pecking away at the glass pane to gain the family's attention.

"Harry, Hermione? What are your kids up to this time? I hope you haven't adopted another bird" Emma asked with a speculative look, crossing her hands.

"What? Why do you assume it's us in the first place?"

"Need I remind you of the snake incident at the zoo?" she said with a raised eyebrow.

"Fair point, though I don't see why you guys have to bring it up all the time..." he said in a murmur.

"Just let the owl in, it's going to draw attention" sighed Dan over the day's paper, taking a sip of his hot coffee. Harry got up from the table and unlocked the window, pushing it up to let the animal get through. It flew in right away and landed on the back of an empty chair, next to Hermione's seat, and stuck out its leg as if this were the most normal thing in the world. Hermione untied the letter's from the bird's foot and gave it a piece of her pancakes, which it gladly accepted before flying back out the window.

"Well, that was something" commented Harry, leaning over Hermione's shoulder to get a better look at the mysterious letters.

"Weird, they're addressed to Harry and me," said Hermione, handing them over to her father.

"Huh, they have our address and everything on them, how peculiar. Honey, have you by any chance heard of the term 'Hogwarts'?" Dan asked his wife.

"Not that I recall, no" Emma replied.

"Guess we'll have to open them and see for ourselves." Dan tore off the wax seal from one of the envelopes and took out the letters from within, quickly scanning them over.

"Emma, could you come here for a second?" he asked, a dawning look making its way onto his face. Harry and Hermione sat in silence, waiting for their parents to reveal what was in the letter. They read it over several times, wanting to make sure that they weren't misinterpreting its contents.

"So what does it say?" asked Harry, unable to wait any longer. Dan looked up at his wife, who had just finished reading the letter one last time.

"Just show them the letters, I don't see any harm in doing so."

Dan hesitated before handing over the letters just as the doorbell rang.

"This day is going to be full of surprises, isn't it?" he said to Emma with resignation, getting up and heading towards the door with her to greet their uninvited guest.

Harry and Hermione meanwhile quickly got to reading:

_Dear Miss Granger,_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on 1. of September. A Professor will be by to answer any questions you might have._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore_

_Hogwarts Headmaster_

Harry and Hermione looked up at each other and smiled, hardly able to believe their eyes."Hermione, do you know what this means? We're not alone! There are other people out there, just like us!" he said quickly hugging her.

"Harry, Hermione, could you come to the living room?" Emma called.

"That must be the Professor mentioned in the letter" Hermione commented.

"Well then, what are we waiting for?" Harry asked already getting up. They walked into the living room and set their eyes on the stranger dressed in those peculiar dark robes.

"Good morning children, I am the Deputy Headmistress Minerva McGonagall for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I trust you've read the contents of your Hogwarts letters?" she asked.

Harry and Hermione nodded and McGonagall turned back towards their parents. "Well then, Mr. and Mrs. Granger, I advise that you and your family take a seat for the moment, this is going to take a little time to explain.

"I'll make some refreshments," Emma said, putting her hand on her husband's shoulder in reassurance.

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**There it is! I had originally posted this chapter on Friday, but reread it and figured it was too short and could do with some chiseling. I ended up adding around 2k words, haha. I'll try to make the next chapter by next weekend. I think I might just get started on it today. Please leave a review or follow the story if you like it so far, I would really appreciate it! Until next time! **


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